Never Alone
by Darkscream
Summary: G1 While captured by the Autobots, Ravage and his guard muse on their lives.


Ravage was not one to be depressed. He didn't even know the meaning of the word. That was until now anyway. He had been sent in to spy on a new invention cooked up by Wheeljack, but ended up being caught. This was why he slipped into a small depressed state. Depressed and agitated.

He had his head down on his ebony paws as he stared out through the energon bars of his cage. Those red optics had dimmed slightly as just outside the bars sat his guard, Mirage.

Why Optimus Prime would put Mirage on guard duty puzzled Mirage himself. All he wanted was to take a stroll with Hound, who had already left for the day on a scouting mission, but Prime caught him. He didn't want the job, but reluctantly did what was asked of him.

He was sitting down in a chair, with a data pad set beside him on a table. Mirage really didn't want to be down here, but someone had to keep an eye on Ravage. He glanced over to Ravage and unintentionally met his optics. Turning quickly away, he avoided the Decepticon's gaze.

Mirage's fingers drummed the table as he thought over what he could be doing right now, if Prime didn't catch him that is. A sigh escaped his white and blue form as he got up to pace.

Meanwhile, Ravage had tried to contact Soundwave, but he kept failing. He was always in contact with his "father." Not having any sign was disturbing to the spy. His head went up and a low growl came from his throat. Having the inability to speak normally presented issues, but Soundwave and Ravage's brethren never misunderstood him. In a way, it was a sublevel link that they all shared.

Unable to stand the pacing of the Autobot spy, Ravage stood up and growled to get Mirage's attention. It worked like a charm as Mirage glanced into the cell. The ebony feline growled again and started to move in a zigzag circle with his varied growls before looking over to Mirage. Neither of them were pleased with their situation. The former returned to his seat and leaned back against the chair.

"I wish I was back on Cybertron," murmured Mirage. "Being a guard is not enjoyable. I don't know how Prowl can stand doing this."

That sigh came from him again as he looked over to Ravage. "You just had to get caught, didn't you? Primus knows what Wheeljack was even making. At least it hasn't blown up yet."

That was silently agreed upon by Ravage. He did have knowledge that half of Wheeljack's inventions either backfired or blew up in his face. Sitting back on his hind legs, he watched Mirage.

An unseen curiosity was hidden behind those devious red optics of the cassette. He never got the change to gather enough information to come to a conclusion. All he saw before being discovered was what looked like a controller of some sorts. A decision came to mind to scan his own memory banks to see if there was any trace of something like that from previous missions to the _Ark_.

Nothing came up that was of importance, except an occasion when he was with Rumble and Frenzy during their Saturday morning cartoon marathons. Of all the cassettes, Ravage knew those two were the most child-like. From that memory, he recalled a commercial that was advertising a small black box with a green x carved into it's surface.

All of that was silly to him, he never liked the devices that the humans came up with. He wouldn't admit this though, being a true fact, he does often wonder at the back of his mind what I'd be like to have hands. Being so used to being a quadruped, the thought is always rare.

A low growl came from his throat as he settled back down onto his belly. The cold of the floor was nothing new, as he was cold himself. Despite the certain very low heat exerted from his inner workings. Ravage's head remained up as he studied the Autobot a moment longer. Since he couldn't get the data he wanted at the moment, he'd soak in about this spy. What could be called a pleased purr came from his metal throat, which caught Mirage's attention from his own dreamland.

A slight optic ridge raised from hearing this new noise. Mirage had been daydreaming about the days on Cybertron, before he joined the Autobots and became Mirage the spy. His preference was hunting turbo foxes and playing an Cybertronian version of polo, but now, he was a spy. He never wanted to be a spy, but it was his cloaking ability that turned him into the spy. If nothing else that Mirage and Ravage shared, it was that they were both spies.

Mirage shook his head, getting rid of that thought. "I'm an Autobot," he said out loud. "Never a 'Con and I have nothing in common with Ravage." He forgot that Ravage was there and that comment made the already curious feline even more interested.

If Ravage had the ability to grin or smirk, there would have been one on his muzzle right now. Those fiery red optics were bright as he listened to Mirage talk to himself. All of this information, he was drinking it in.

Since he failed at his assignment, might as well make the best of things. A pleased growl escaped from Ravage as he realized there was nothing to be depressed about. That cheer made him get up and pace his cage, as if looking for a way out. All part to get Mirage to start talking again.

It worked like a charm.

Normally calm, he started to get edgy seeing the ebony cassette pace. "There isn't a way out, Ravage. Might as well just stop now. Optimus wont let you out until blaster arrives to scan for what information you gathered," said Mirage.

Of course, Ravage only glanced over before pawing at the walls.

Getting up, Mirage approached the bars. "You remind me of the turbo foxes before they were released. Pacing around, always in search of a way out," he paused a moment. "Only when they did find a way out, it was because they were let out; to be hunted down for sport."

Now, that he was talking about it, the hunts were not much fun anymore. Mirage lowered his gaze as Ravage walked over and tilted his head, as if asking, _what's wrong_? He looked back down to the cassette, who was somewhat smaller than himself. "Your not much of a threat," he mumbled lowly, not caring if Ravage heard or not. "Too much like a turbo fox."

Turning away, Mirage walked over to the table and picked up the data pad that he had on the table. Looking it over, he glanced back to Ravage. That same look was still there, but a soft growl came from him.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Mirage closed his optics to think. "I'm an Autobot now; Ravage is a Decepticon," he murmured to himself and Ravage _happened_ to overhear. "This is Earth, not Cybertron. Ravage is a spy, not a turbo fox."

As Mirage continued to mumble to himself, Ravage just sat down and listened. He was a spy and spies listen to everything and everyone. There wasn't an exception to that rule. No, not even Megatron was beyond spies.

* * *

It was an hour later and Mirage stopped talking during that hour. He let himself slip into a slight sleep mode, but Ravage remained awake and alert. Now that was how a true spy worked.

Seeing his opportunity, Ravage slipped into one of the dark corners of the room and transformed. He shrank down to the size of a human's cassette, which came in handy at certain times. Like it did now. He only needed to wait as the change of shift was coming. Staying quiet and leaning against the wall, he heard a pair of footsteps coming down the hall. Just from footsteps he couldn't tell who it was, but the Autobot and that was a give away.

Jazz had the next shift for watching Ravage. Only when he arrived, his whistling stopped. He saw the empty cell and looked to Mirage. "Hey Mirage, where's that square cat, Ravage?" he asked the sleepy spy.

With those words registering in his cybernetic brain, his optics lit up as he got up and looked in the cell. "Ravage was there when I slipped under, Jazz. He couldn't of gotten out through the bars, unless he…" his words trailed off, but Jazz finished it.

"Transformed."

"Yes…" Mirage went closer to the cell and turned off the energon bars. He walked cautiously inside, as did Jazz. Though the latter stayed a bit more towards the front of the cell.

"Mirage, don't tell me ya lost him," said Jazz with a tinge of worry in his voice. His usual grin, it was barely there at all.

Mirage looked to Jazz. "Jazz," he started. "What was Wheeljack working on?"

The classic Cheshire Cat grin formed on his face. "He's just working on what the humans call an X-Box. Spike brought one in and," Jazz chuckled. "Bumblebee wanted to play it. Then everyone started getting into the game. That's why. That little thing is amazing."

Jazz started whistling again to the same tune as before. He turned and headed out, leaving Mirage alone. Then he too started to leave, but glanced back when he heard that classic transformation sound which alerted him that Ravage as there the entire time..

Both spies watched one another for a short period of time. Then despite what they should of done upon seeing one another, neither took action. Mirage simply left the ebony Decepticon alone as the latter leapt out and went down another hallway.

Ravage had information on what the device was, thanks to Mirage. It was almost like Mirage knew he was there. Still, he may have been curious. Either way, the cassette had the information needed and plus some on Mirage. What was in debate was whether or not the information would be shared or kept just between he and Soundwave.

Nothing could be kept from Soundwave. Not even his own, once captured, now free, ebony feline, cassette.


End file.
